The Fall of the firm
by The Juggernaut
Summary: Some secrets are better off left for dead…but you can’t control the one’s that survive…
1. Chi City's most eligibale Pretender

Jarod's second safe house  
  
2192 Mitchell Van Buren & 65th street  
  
West Chicago, IL 60652  
  
9:34 p.m.  
  
The buzz of the 9 o'clock news on WGN was the only sound throughout the house besides the dishwasher. The living room light was on, although the main kitchen hanging light out shadowed it. "Today was the arraigning day for one of the top, prestigious law firms in the metro-area: Parker, Weiss, and Morgan. WGN's own Anthony Davidson has the story...Anthony," the anchor sent it over to the man in Bloomington Park.  
  
"Is this a Chicago style 'Enron'? That's the question that's been on everyone's mind-""Turn it off," Jarod's tired and dark voice came from behind the couch. Jarod's son that he took from the Centre right before Carthis (was 11 years old when Jarod took him) sighed and did as he was told, sighing loudly to make a statement.  
  
"So what're we gonna do?" he turned to Jarod. Jarod had named the kid Jeremy Charles Russell; Jeremy after a friend of his who's son died and Charles after...well, you know. "I'm tired of moving, Jeremy. So..." "Does that mean we can't move to Phoenix now?" Jeremy got up and went to the kitchen. He stood on a stool and opened the top cabinet above the fridge, pulling out 2 Twinkies and tossing one to Jarod. "Afraid so."  
  
Before Jeremy could suggest something, there were keys jingling in the lock from outside, and the door came open with quick speed and closed at the same. "How could this have happened?!" Terryn "TJ" Jacobs exclaimed," Toss me one, short man." Jeremy tossed her a Twinkie and sat next TJ at the kitchen island.  
  
"I don't know. I mean, I'm on top of the game and investments one minute and then I'm...well, you've seen the news," Jarod turned back to the computer. "Have they indicted you yet?" TJ asked with a mouthful of Twinkie. "No...as far as tonight goes, I can delete my records of ever being there and disappear-""But you're face'll be on everything and so will your name. You're the key witness-""Which is why I might go for something much less attention grabbing," he decided. "Like what?" TJ and Jeremy asked at the same time. "Blue collar man. I need the simple life." "Don't bet on it. At least your collar won't have to be pressed or ironed," TJ nudged Jeremy slightly.  
  
"Ha ha. Get out," Jarod's sarcasm got serious. "Well, I did have some documents...""Ooh, what'd you get me?" Jarod smiled, his face turning bright with cheer like a kid on Christmas morning. "Chill, pop," Jeremy got off the stool and sat in front of the computer, "It's probably something about the case hearing in South Africa next month." TJ and Jarod both looked at him. "How do you know?" they asked simultaneously. "I'm a genius...I can read stuff fast," he defended.  
  
"You're ½ me," Jarod thought aloud, and then it hit him. "TJ, last time you babysat-""Friday.""Yeah...um, what time did you go to sleep?" "On the couch? Uh, 11:30. Why?" "He was up when I got home," Jarod looked directly into Jeremy's eyes. It seems he was good at this parenting thing," And that was 2. You read it, didn't you?" Jeremy knew this family thing was important, so he decided not to lie.  
  
"I was curious," he looked at the ground. Before Jarod or TJ could say anything, keys once again jingled in the lock and this time, Jarod's girlfriend Rachel came in. "Hey Jeremy," she said, smiling, receiving a nod. "Hi ya doin', Teej?" Same from TJ. Nobody really like her...except for Jarod. That's why he was with her.  
  
"So, uh, dad, when are we leavin' for Boston?" Jeremy broke their conversation. "When are we going to Boston?" Rachel's' eyes lit up. Jarod gave a 'If I could kill you look' to Jeremy and turned to Rach. "Um...You wanna go? Well, I didn't say anything because I didn't think you'd like to be there." "Why wouldn't I? Your family loves me," she pouted in a low voice. "See, that's the thing. It's not all of my family, it's just...me, Teej, and Jeremy." "TJ's going?" Rachel asked in hurt voice, her voice barely below a whisper.  
  
"Listen, Rach, if I told you why we were going-""Then you would think I wouldn't go? Why all the secrets, Jarod?" she crossed her arms. "You really don't wanna know." "You'll be holding yourself tonight if I don't get an answer." "It's Parker's birthday," he blurted out in a soft, but serious voice. "You're flying all the way to Boston to spend a week with his mother? Alone?" "No. They'll be there," Jarod pointed to the two laughing at a Quizno's Sub's commercial.  
  
"And they are toasty...because they toast them!" they both laughed. "Oh, yeah, like the two cartoons will be watching over both of you the whole time." "I was invited. We have to at least be civil around J. He's the best of both of us-"" But she'll want you when she finds out we're dating! I'm a girl, I know these things." "But she already knows I'm involved. And you don't trust me?" "We can't get into this right now." "Why not-""It's time to get ready for tomorrow. We can't go to bed mad at each other, so..." "So, what?" "You are so cute when you pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about," she gave him a passionate kiss. "Well," he smiled, "pretending is what I do best."  
  
"Well, when you will plan to be back from the trip?" she said, saying goodnight to everyone and leading Jarod to his bedroom. "A week in a half. I already talked to my bosses about it...they said I could make it up by doing desk work for a week, but oh well, if it makes Jeremy happy..." "You'll sacrifice everything. You are so...so...I love you, too." "Whoa, whoa wait. Did I miss something? Did I say I loved you already?" "I heard you the other day. You said it when I came in the room and you hung up the phone. You are so romantic," she sat on his lap. "Uh...yeah," he uneasily said, going over the SIMs of what would happened if he told Rachel that he was talking to Parker. Not a good outcome.  
  
The house quieted down around 11:30 with TJ's soft snoring from the living room and Jeremy's nightmares with the turning of his sheets way down the hall. Jarod wanted to go desperately to help his son, but he knew he'd have to get through them on his own; Jarod had to. By now, it was 4:32 (AM) and Jarod's cell on the counter had brought the still room alive with 'Hey Ya'. "Get the damn phone," Rachel's sleepy and annoyed voice came.  
  
"What?" Jarod answered the phone like his...well, Parker. All he heard on the other end was a quivering voice and whimpers. "Hello?" "I-I can't breathe. Jarod...I need you." "What's the matter?" his voice full of concern. "My-my nightmare had gotten to the point where I couldn't even wake myself up...an- and when I did...there was blood-""What happened?" "I-I don't know," Parker replied. "Are you okay?" he quickly grabbed his wallet and flipped on the bathroom light. "I can't...I can't..." then the line went dead. "Shit!" he muttered under his breath, "Um, Rachel, babe, wake up.""Huh?" "I gotta go...I'll be back later," he kissed her on the cheek and rushed out the door.  
  
He had on a down jacket with the fur lined hood, a pair of white/white low- top Air Force One's, regular black jeans, an open white shirt and a black beater underneath. Of course, he did his hair in spikes. He grabbed a duffle bag and woke TJ up. "Hey, Terryn, come on, you gotta drive me to the Midway. Parker's in trouble." "She says jump, you put on moon boots," TJ sleepily got up and grabbed her jacket.  
  
TBC...you think its good so far? Well, review and let me know-  
  
J-Phoenix/The Juggernaut 


	2. Coffee and airplane cream

Chicago's Midway Airport  
  
Terminal A (Concord 3)  
  
5:25 a.m.  
  
Terryn drove her friend to the airport, told him to be safe and watched him get on the shuttle bus to the airport. "I'll call you when I get to Logan. That'll be like in 3 hours," Jarod reached for his duffle bag in the bag. "Alright then, Jarod, take care. Don't come back with a bullet in your arm, leg, or ass because you annoyed her to the point of insanity. Believe me, there are times when I've almost capped you myself," TJ smiled, mocking her best friend's last visit with his ex-wife.  
  
Jarod put some hast in his step and made it to the gate to buy his ticket. "Last call for flight 5:30's 893 from Chicago's Midway Airport to Boston's Logan Airport, gate F," the attendant said as she watched Jarod board. He barely made it.  
  
*Flashback*  
  
It was 4:39 in the morning and Parker and Jarod lay in her bed and Jarod had one hand over her stomach. "Oh God, its 4:40 and I have to get up in the morning," she groaned. "Stop saying stuff. We'll both get to sleep faster that way," Jarod buried his head in her neck. "Does she talk this much?" Parker was now wide awake, turning directly at him.  
  
"Uh huh," Jarod moaned," did Jeremy tell you she's stalking me now?" "Answer my question 1st," she raised an eyebrow. Jarod decided he'd tell the truth since there was nothing left to tell.  
  
"You don't really wanna know, do you?" his voice came out nervous. "I don't ask unless I want to know," she had the same tone as before. Jarod sighed and did what every man in the world said to his girlfriend about," I never slept with her." Yep, he lied. Parker knew he probably would and pushed him backward to where he was on his back and she stratled his hips and leaned close to his ear," I hate being lied to. Remember what you promised me 15 months ago?"  
  
Nervous to the soul, Jarod's voice trembled. He had conquered this woman in all aspects and she still made him quiver sometimes.  
  
"I said a lot of things a year and 3 months ago. Do you, by any chance?" he smiled. But she wasn't. "You're lying-""Wha?" "Yeah. Your little mijo and I had a talk," she got off of him and slipped into a venomous mood.  
  
"What are you talking about?" he teased, knowing this would annoy the shit outta her. Wrong idea. "Rachel McKinney! You know who I'm talking about," she disgustedly got off him and walked into the bathroom, slamming the door.  
  
"Damn, I'm sorry, but Jeremy's mistaken," he couldn't help but laugh. "Do you wake up with the mind-set to hurt me?" she called from behind the door. "The hell? Of course I don't...mostly," he mumbled the last word," I couldn't anyway! I'd owe TJ money!" Big mistake.  
  
He quit laughing once he realized what was said. The door slowly came open and parker came out with her silver 9mm pearl handled Beretta in her left hand. "You'd what?" she asked in a voice that Jarod couldn't determine the emotion. "No-thing," he lied like 'Baby Joker' from Next Friday.  
  
"No, you said you'd owe TJ. Don't lie to me-""Why quit now?" he sighed. "You bet on me with a teenager?" her voice calm. "Is that a 'yes' or 'no' question?" he raised an eyebrow. "One answer," she said firing a shot close to his right ear.  
  
"Cot damn Robin, what the fuck?! And why do you care so much! This has gone way too far! You could have hit me!" he moved swiftly toward her in one motion. He grabbed the gun and they struggled, but Parker stopped all of a sudden.  
  
"What exactly did you say when you said 'you could have hit me'?" she asked in a small voice, staring at the wall with a small hole in it. Jarod forgot since they had found out everything about the Centre, Catherine Parker's plan (well, ½ of it), the truth about where Mr. Parker was, it had all led up to her coma episode.  
  
She had fainted right after hearing the whereabouts of her 'father' and was in a coma for 2 months. The doctor said there was a cerebral imbalance in her brain and she'd lost some nerves, but none too damaging.  
  
But she had lost all ability 'switch' from emotions easily like everyone else. Her emotional state while in the coma caused her to have seizures and violet dreams, causing her cerebral imbalance. Jarod had been one of her doctors, but hasn't had the heart to tell her yet.  
  
But he did the one thing old Parker and new Parker would hold out and shut out if he did; he said her first name. "I said your first name," he admitted with hurt and confusion on his face," I had to get your attention." Then it dawned on him.  
  
"You been taking your medicine?" he asked her. She looked directly into his eyes," Now it's my time for questions. Did you?" A tired Parker sat on the bed and stared out the dark window. "I haven't taken my medicine since two Thursday's ago. I don't need it," she said in a hollow voice. "You do! That's why...it help's...you almost put a damn bullet in my head!"  
  
"I'm sorry," she started to sob. "I know," he sighed, stashing the gun out her reach and sitting next to her," but you do need it. You think because you don't get nightmares and a good sleep for a couple of days, you can get off your meds? It's way beyond that."  
  
"I know! But I don't need you! I don't need you to watch and monitor my every move. I'm a grown woman-""Who needs someone to love her. I'll always be here, I promised your mother that-""Give me the damn bottle and my water bottle," she seethed. "Oh? My fault, I thought you didn't need me anymore," he grabbed a pillow and blanket from the closet and headed out to the living room.  
  
"I'll be out by 8. But hey, it's 5:15; you should have a couple of minutes of sleep left," he closed the bedroom door behind him. He hated fighting with her like this, but if getting closer to her meant calling her 'Robin Parker' to get her attention, bullets flying, then so be it. He was determined to make this work and all this fighting isn't helping the situation.  
  
He slowly walked toward the couch and plopped down on it. Inside, Parker was curling up in the fetal position and letting the waterworks flow freely down her face. She didn't meant to hurt him like this but it's all she knew.  
  
*End Flashback*  
  
"...again we'd ask all passengers turn off any electronic device such a radio, cd player, palm pilot, or a laptop. These devices can be turned on after the take-off at a solid altitude. Cell phones are not permitted during the flight at all as to where it can interfere with the navigational system en route. Once in the air, for your protection, please keep your seat belts on until the seat belt sign is off. When the captain removes the fasten seat belt sign, you can take it off, but for your safety, we ask that it remain on while seated. Our pilots for the morning are Cap. Anthony Jameson and Co-Cap. Chris Bridges. We thank you for flying Delta and hope you enjoy your flight to Boston/Logan airport. Our ETA once over the eastern time zone should be 8:30 a.m. We will be arriving at Concord 3, Gate 29 on the Logan map. Again, thank you for flying Delta and we hope you enjoy your trip," the flight attendant said in a hast as they workers outside shut the doors and she strapped herself into her seat.  
  
Jarod sighed and breathed easily, happy he made it and looked out the window at the crisp fog that lingered over the ground of the runway. The guy next to him was nosy and Jarod knew it was going to be a long flight. "So why the early flight?" he asked with an eager voice. "Family," Jarod adjusted the pillow behind his head. All he wanted to do was relax for the two hours and..."I got family in Boston, too! Well, a lot around the Connecticut area, but it's not that far away..." the guy kept going and going like the bunny Jarod saw on TV with the drum and sunglasses.  
  
Now this man made that commercial annoying as hell. About 15 minutes into the flight, Jarod was shaken by the guy next to him and he almost snapped, but heard a woman's voice. "...sir, would you like something to drink or perhaps some snack mix?" "What'll it be, buddy? I think Coke is better than Pepsi, but I would rather enjoy a-""Coffee!" Jarod's voice cut the man's off, "A nice, warm, coffee. And some cream and sugar, thank you."  
  
"I think that lady likes you man," the guy slightly elbowed him in his ribs. "So I've been told," Jarod faced the window. "I wish I could *mack* like that," he sighed," But she's been eyeballing you since we sat down!" "I'm already involved," he sighed, wishing this guy had a mute button. "Ooh, you probably like real feisty women, huh?" the guy's sugar level increased by a milestone," You'd probably go for brunettes, or-or redheads."  
  
"I don't feel comf-""Well, let me tall you about this brunette who works with me in the bureau-""I'd rather not," Jarod started, but hung on to every word when he got the woman's name out. "Yeah, sweet little thing, her name's (came to Jarod in slow motion) Robin Parker, but I think she prefers Wright. You okay, buddy?" the guy looked at his pale face. "Robin, Par-I mean Wright?" Jarod asked. "Yeah, you know her?" the guy's face got serious.  
  
Jarod was about to say yes, but forgot that this guy worked with Parker and he couldn't say anything. "Uh...no. Her name sounds like a girl I used to date. Her name was Robin Williams," Jarod lied, "So you were saying..." "Oh, and lemme tell ya, does she has a-""Okay, really, that's enough," Jarod spotted the lady come back with the coffee, "thank you."  
  
"I put a little extra cream and sugar on yours because...I think you're kinda sweet." Jarod flashed a smile and the man grinned in anticipation, "Well, go on, ask her for her number!" "Uh, no, I'm fine," Jarod said, sipping it, mainly all in one gulp. "Calm down...but hey, if you want, I can tell you about this dude she's dating, but although, if you do meet her, please don't mention the 'who's the daddy' question. Broke some guy's arm when he was playing around," the guy shook his head.  
  
"What's your name?" Jarod finally gave in. "Herman Bullock. Yep, I'm an assistant associate to Sen. Todd of New Jersey. She's in Boston for a while, although this is my base office. So, whaddo you do, well, what's your name?" Herman asked. "Jarod Wright. I have a son named Jeremy Charles Wright, he's 12. Oh, and I work at Anderton, Williams, and Cook, the uh, main law firm in Chicago." "Hey! I knew I'd seen you before! You were always in the courtroom when the man...Bob, Rob-""Bobby?" "Yeah, Bobby Bowman was on trial! You're famous. But...wait, didn't you two fight?"  
  
"Well, I'll let you in on a secret; I've known Booby for years, but uh...truth be told, he's the brother-in-law from hell...literary," Jarod adjusted the light blanket. "Everyone has some good." "Show me and you'll never have another trouble again," Jarod laughed. "Like my e-wife, I tell ya..." Oh God, why couldn't she have called at 7, when normal people get up? Jarod sighed, wishing he hardly met the man.  
  
-1 hour later-  
  
"Hey, hey, uh, Jarod, wake up. We're landing," Herman shook him. "Huh? Oh, thanks man. But I'm sorry for going to sleep on you, man." "Hey, I dozed off myself," Herman's ears started to pop. "Gum?" Jarod offered. "Ladies and gentleman, on behalf of the captain and our crew, Delta flight 1996 from Midway to Logan will be landing in 10 minutes. For your safety we ask that seatbelts remain on during this time..."  
  
-Logan Airport-  
  
8:17 a.m.  
  
Same Day  
  
Gate C  
  
Jarod exited the plane and entered the terminal, calling a cab service and making his way to baggage claim before a woman stopped him. "Sir! Sir!" the flight attendant called from behind him. "Are you Mr. Wright?" she asked, out of breath. "So I've been told...why?" he sipped his Starbucks. "Funny, but the FBI agents on the plane are requesting your presence at the questioning room," she handed him an envelope. "What's this for?" he rose and eyebrow. "This is the map to the room," she turned and left.  
  
"Ma'am, what is all this about?" Jarod's fear set in. "I'm just the deliverer," she walked back toward the console. Jarod sat on a stool and finished his coffee, finally looking at it. He took out his phone and called Parker. "Yeah...I'm at Logan. I called to say I'd be a little bit late, I got a meeting...yeah, I know I just got here, but it's import-"she hung up on him. "Things I do for love," he told himself, going towards the room.  
  
It was down a lone hallway and the door was slightly open. "Hello?" he went into the room, instantly being hit over the head and knocked out. He left out a cry of pain, but he couldn't feel anything as everything went black...  
  
R&R- J-Phoenix 


	3. As the plot thickens

2 Hours Later  
  
Same Room  
  
Still Logan International  
  
Jarod woke up strapped to a chair with a medium size gash on his hairline. "Shit," he blinked to open his eyes, looking around the brightly lit room. "Took you long enough to come to," a distorted voice floated into the room. "Who-who's there?" Jarod stuttered, trying to undo his restraints.  
  
"You don't even recognize your own brother-in-law's voice?" Lyle walked in the room. Jarod's face turned a bad shade of dark and revenge. He didn't even know what to say. "Speechless? Well, my sister should have been more specific with her dream...I would have enjoyed it." "You're sick," Jarod tried to wriggle through the cuffs.  
  
"Ah ah ah, those are enertia-proflagated cuffs, *bro*," Lyle stood across from him at the table. "Flexi-cuffs that drain your energy as you struggle," Jarod automatically stopped, realizing his own inventions were being used against him. "Yeah, that's right; big 'ole country Bobby Bowman did some research and found out you make things for money now, so things have changed."  
  
"Yeah, I got tired of leaving your fathers' flat broke," Jarod spat. "I have one father, Jarod, and he left me the heir to the Parker legacy." "Uh huh," Jarod said as if he didn't believe him," But that would involve hurting your sister. You know I won't let you do that."  
  
"I'm going to do it anyway; I don't need your permission for shit. See, that's where Lyle Parker comes into play. Bobby did his research, but Lyle was smart enough to use every one of them against you...to get what I want." "But I wouldn't do that willingly, so you kidnap me in hopes to torture me to find out where she is-"  
  
"Oh no, I already know that. See, I've had both your phones tapped and I know your exact addresses, the name of your employees, who their boning, Jeremy's GPA, and by the way, Rachel's is as low as Jessica Simpson's- ""You're point?" Jarod cut him off. "I know everything about your so called 'New Life' that even my sister doesn't.  
  
"By you know that nightmare she's been having? I didn't start out that way." "What?" Jarod didn't like where this was going, but listened anyway. "Laurens was just supposed to scare her with the hallucinates, but they got more violent with every time she closed her eyes."  
  
"Wha-What are you talking about?" "I used her as bate to get you out here, but even I felt bad after I watched the tape from that night the next morning." "What did you do?" Jarod's words slow and dripping with an emotion Lyle couldn't match.  
  
"Yeah, we kept a record of the videos. But don't worry; I wouldn't watch the things you two do in there-""Go to hell, Lyle!" "Been there, remember? You sent me there and I got out...now it seems like you're avoiding me. But Laurens-""What did he do to her?" Lyle felt so bad that he really didn't want to say anything else.  
  
"Laurens...Jarod, he raped her. That's what the blood was about, and she...she was too unconscious to notice anything. It wasn't a dream...he took it too far. I want this bastard as much as you do-""Bulshit! You sent him in there to scare her! You knew he was going to rape her! How could you!"  
  
"Hey! It was to scare her to get you here! I'm looking for him myself! All he was supposed to do was slip the things in her drink to make herself think she was going crazy!" "Let me go now," Jarod's voice calm. "Hell no! You're about to kill me!" "Give me an address," Jarod clamed completely down with his body language," Now!"  
  
"As much as I'd like to..." Lyle gave an upward nod toward someone behind Jarod," I have to when you're out cold. You'll both be hearing from me." Then, there was a sharp pain in Jarod's neck and he went right back into the sleepy-dream zone as before.  
  
"Get him out of here, into a cab, and at her house," Lyle dismissed him and left the room. The sweepers took Jarod out to the back way of the alley and had his baggage, calling a cab for him. "Get him to (Parker's address) now!"  
  
"Ho Ho! Is he dead?" the cab driver asked. "Just get him there!" the sweeper handed him G (for those who don't know, 1,000) and gave him instructions to stay in the cab with him until he came to. "Is he dead?" he memorized the address.  
  
"Just go!" The sweeper said in forceful way, slamming the door. "Aw geez, uh, man, are you okay?" he drove away from the curb, looking in the back. Jarod was mumbling and incoherent at the time, mumbling things like he was in a dream.  
  
"Uh, um, dude, you look sick. Hey! D-Don't throw up back there! I just cleaned last night! Aw damn," he said as he heard Jarod throw up, setting the destination aside, going to the cab cleaners. "Hey uh, Mac, we need to hose this guy down," Kelson "Kelly" Howard dragged Jarod out the back. "What's wrong?" Mac came around.  
  
"Damn dude threw up in my backseat!" He grabbed a garden hose. "Oh God, where'd you get this crackhead?" Mac smelt the salts placed in Jarod's pocket to smell like corrosion. "He's wearing a 50,000 watch and a lot of other shit I can't pronounce and you're calling him a crackhead? He was practically thrown into the back of my cab!" "By who?" Mac placed Jarod against a wall. "What's goin'z on?" Jarod started to come to.  
  
"Spray 'em already!" Mac instructed the young cabbie. "What?" Jarod blinked with a blinding headache. "Okay," Kelson nervously said, turning it on full the blast. "The hell-"Jarod started, but was cut off by streaming, ice cold, freezing water hitting his face. The force knocked him backwards into the brick wall and temporally knocked him out.  
  
"Hey, wha-what's wrong, Mac?" Kelson went to the fallen Jarod. "Check his pockets; he smells decent enough," Mac said, standing back. Kelson reached in Jarod's pockets and found his badly soaked wallet. "Hey, Mac, this dude is like...um, eh, the invisible man, you know? He has a license for every state almost!" "Lemme see," Mac took it and wrung it off, looking at all the pictures.  
  
Sure enough, Jarod had a license for every state on the eastern seaboard, including Massachusetts. "So, basically, this man's name is Jarod...whatever it is in every state." "Well, what's it say for Massachusetts's?" Kelson stood back from Jarod's limp body. "Uh...Jarod Wright. Hey, where were you supposed to take him?" "The man practically screamed 70908 at129th and W. Van Buren...um. they musta did something to him. Hey, look, he has a wedding ring on."  
  
"Hey, leave it on!" Mac saw Kelson take it off. "Wall, his wife's name might be in here," he looked for an inscription. Sure enough, a message from Parker to Jarod was around the middle: Just remember, what happens, I love you-Robin. "See, it says Robin," Kelson put triumph on his face. "Well, okay then. There is a Robin Wright who lives at 70...wha'd you say?"  
  
"70908 at 129th and W. Van Buren. You want me to take him home?" "Obviously. Well, since I own the place, I should explain what happened. So, I'll go with you...I don't need another lawsuit," he went and got his jacket, helping Kelson put Jarod into the back of the cab. "Well, let's see if I can keep this one out of court. Let's go," Mac said to Kelson, who was scared and nervously driving at the same time.  
  
They reached Parker's brownstone in silence and gave debating looks that who should go and knock on the door. "Both go," Jarod came to, a now splitting headache taking over. "You're awake?" "Go get her," Jarod gripped the back of his head, "Aw, Jesus, what happened?" "Kelson here found you throwin' in the back of my cab."  
  
"B-But I never thought you were a junkie, Mac said that." "I know how drugs smell. I don't even know how you made it passed security-""My brother," Jarod winced at the pain. "Hey...just go," he reminded them. "I'll go," Mac got out the car and made his way nervously up to the door.  
  
"Hey...um, Jarod?" "Do I know you?" "No, but how come you have a license for all for the east coast?" "You went in my wallet," it wasn't a question, but more of a statement on Jarod's part," Hey, who put me back here?"  
  
"I dunno. Some tall dude in a black suite threw you back there and told me to drive you to this address. You still didn't answer my question." "Do I have to?" "It is illegal to have more than one, you know that, right?" "It's a long story..." "Kelson, Kelson Howard. But everyone Kelly. How long you been married?" Kelson looked at his ring.  
  
"You're really trying to get me shot by her, aren't you?" Jarod made a lame joke to attempt to smile. "By who?" Kelson looked out the window," Oh, geez; she is a beaut..." Jarod couldn't hear anymore because he slipped in and out of a dizzy spell. "Hey, hey, man, what're you doin'? No, no, no! Don't throw up back there anymore!" Kelson brought Jarod out of the cab and rested him to where he was leaning on it. "Mac, Get this guy inside! He's sick off his ass!" Kelson hoisted him up to the steps.  
  
"Oh God," Parker groaned, a sharp pain in her stomach. "Ma'am, are you okay?" Mac saw her clutch her stomach. "I'm fine, can you get him in here?" she shook it off and stood up. "Yeah...hey, I got cha," Mac went down to the steps and got Jarod into the house. "Are you two, ah, gonna be okay? Well, I'd get him to an ER. He smells and looks sick."  
  
"And you found him like this?" "Well, Kelson said some dude threw him in the back of the cab and gave him this address..." "Thank you, but no thank you. We'll be fine-""Do you have any Vitaxitan?" Jarod croaked out. No answer. "Then go get TJ. I know what it is...hey Mac, I'll be fine at the stool on the bar," he told the man supporting him up. "You sure?" "Yeah, I'll just get some water later on...take my medicine. I'll be fine, thanks," he handed him 200 out of a clip that wasn't wet.  
  
"You have a nasty bump on the front of your head and on the back. They were both bleeding really badly." "I appreciate everything, I really do, but we got it from here." "You sure? Need some over the counter things?" "No, I'll take care of him, I appreciate this a lot, Mac...you too, Kelson. Do you have a number...?" "I have warrants," Kelson smiled, joking a little bit. "We might have some business with your company later on," Jarod winced, putting an ice pack behind his head.  
  
"Well, we're on our way out. Hope to hear from you soon." "Bye then, thanks again," Jarod said, watching them leave. "You had to get yourself beat up? Why?" Parker asked as the door closed behind the two. "Just...shut up and let me talk," Jarod said, the pain returning to him like a full blown hangover.  
  
Parker raised an eyebrow with the 'excuse me' ice queen coming back. "Listen, Parker. There's something you need to know." "You believe me now?" "I have to. I know something's that just...basically hit me when I got here this morning." "Like what? Intuition from your wife?" "No...your brother." "What? What does Lyle have to do with this?" "He's out...and he set up someone to...I can't." "Can't what?"  
  
"Tell me what?" she grew impatient, sitting across from him at the kitchen bar. "Your brother and I...we're both on a um, man hunt." "For who?" "A guy named..." anxiety set in and Jarod's heart rate into a furried frenzy. "Who?" "A guy named Laurens..." "I haven't heard of him," she looked him right in the eyes," But what does this have to do about my..." "Premonitions? Nothing. You're premonition is over and done with. "What're you talking about?" Parker's tone hurt.  
  
"I was too late...remember you told me there was blood?" he asked. "Uh huh," she nodded, going back into the *dark place*. "Lyle drugged me at the airport this morning and told me...that um...those dreams you were having were real; a man was coming here and tapping your drinks. Bobby said it was only to scare you, to get to me, to get me, but he said Laurens took it too far..." "What're you saying?" she leaned in. "I'm saying...Laurens raped you," Jarod's words stung the air like freezing ice sickles. Parker's eyes grew wide with embarrassment and fear; just hers locked on to Jarod's.  
  
I hate to leave you like this, but um...the school is closing in a few and I gotta go. I hope you like it and I'll start again as soon as I can. 1  
  
J-Phoenix 


End file.
